The present invention relates to a new and distinct strawberry variety. The varietal denomination of the new variety is ‘Safari’. The new variety was designated by the breeder as “06.44H.216”. The new variety of strawberry was created by Alexandre Pierron-Darbonne in a breeding program by crossing two parents in 2006 in Cartaya (Huelva), Spain about 7° W., 37° N., 45 feet elevation; in particular, by crossing as seed parent a parent designated “98-126” (unpatented) and as pollen parent a strawberry parent designated “02-105” (unpatented). Seed parent is a selection from breeder's program and has not been commercialized.
The resulting seedling of the new variety was grown and asexually propagated by Alexandre Pierron-Darbonne by runners in 2007 in Segovia, Spain, 3° 59′W., 41° 22′N., 2742 feet elevation and it was successively propagated by runners. Plants of the new variety were further asexually propagated and extensively tested. This propagation and testing has demonstrated that the combination of traits disclosed herein which characterize the new variety are fixed and retained true to type through successive generations of asexual reproduction.
The growing period in Cartaya (Huelva), Spain about 7° W., 37° N., 45 feet elevation is about November 5 until May 15 of each year, with a date of first flowering of November 11. The location where the observations were made is Cartaya (Huelva), Spain and it is believed to apply to plants grown under similar conditions of soil and climate elsewhere.
Among the characteristics which appear to distinguish the new variety from other varieties are a combination of traits which include: inflorescence that appears level with the foliage, large size of calyx relative to corolla, abundant production of orange red colored, conical shaped, and medium firm fruit, medium fruit size, and early time of flowering and ripening.
The new variety ‘Safari’ is distinguished there from its Seed parent “98-126” (unpatented) in that the seed parent the inflorescence appears under the foliage, it shows a globose shape fruit with an absent or very narrow band without achenes, the seed parent shows a red fruit with a large hollow center and it presents a medium time of flowering and ripening.
The new variety ‘Safari’ is distinguished there from its pollen parent “02-105” (unpatented) in that the pollen parent the shape base of the terminal leaflet is obtuse and the fruit shows an irregular conical shape with medium glossiness.
The new variety ‘Safari’ is distinguished from other cultivars by showing the inflorescene at the same level, the shape of base of terminal leaflet is acute, it shows a regular conical shape fruit, it has weak glossiness fruit with a narrow band without achenes, the fruit is orange red with a small hole in the center and it has early flowering and ripening times.
The new variety ‘Safari’ is closest to the variety ‘Sabrina’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,506) but is distinguished the following characteristics possessed by ‘Safari’ which are different, or not possessed, by ‘Sabrina’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,506). The plant habit of ‘Sabrina’ is upright, whereas ‘Safari’ is semi-upright (as shown on FIG. 2 and FIG. 3). ‘Sabrina’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,506) is more vigorous and dense than ‘Safari’. The terminal leaflet of ‘Sabrina’ is longer than broad, whereas in ‘Safari’ is as long as broad (as shown on FIG. 7). The leaf of ‘Sabrina’ shows a stipule with anthocyanin coloration absent or very weak (about Light Green 138D to Light Green 139D), whereas the new variety ‘Safari’ is weak (about Light Greyed-Red 179D to Medium Greyed-Red 179C) (as shown on FIG. 7 and FIG. 8). The fruit size of ‘Sabrina’ is larger than the fruit in ‘Safari’ (as shown on FIG. 12). The fruit color of ‘Sabrina’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,506) is red (about Medium Red 43B to Medium Red 43A) with higher firmness, whereas ‘Safari’ has an orange red fruit color (about Dark Orange-Red 33A to Dark Orange-Red 34A), lightening towards the center (as shown on FIG. 12). The fruits of ‘Safari’ show a hollow center weakly expressed, whereas the fruits in ‘Sabrina’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,506) the hollow center is absent or very weakly expressed (as shown on FIG. 13). The time of beginning of flowering and time of beginning of fruit ripening of ‘Safari’ is earlier than the time for ‘Sabrina’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,506).